Bifurcating-machine.



R. L. WILCOX & G. F. BYAM.

BIFURCATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION 111m 1511.19. 1914.

1 1,147,993. Patented July 27,1915. v

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

l lli i1 j g r1' 1 l l 11111 M, I L l i YU WI. I Y

R. L. wlLcox a. G. F. BYAM.

BIFURCATING MACHINE.

APPLlcAloN man FEB.19.1914.

Km m @u I. .2I M W, ...m -Mv/M M v Im m 1u n 0 J M @n m wf n E M f JMmm. @i m n, A D; EN. N 1| 0% M :1-.. hm D o 0 o Q h4 N` Q .n n rl.-- Il|I QN) \|l lill I w N fw m. u 1 I.. 1n, QQ F1- D #w o Q .ww m.. ld 1Q. IQ/- nu. Vw. mw N w O o l0.. o .vl D -iml| M1. 2., n mm r- Qu* o o *mn m.

R. L. WTLCOX & G. F. BYAM.

BIFURCATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I9. 1914.

Patented July 27, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INH

[72216-72 @gggam e "Hund @wlw UTED s'rATEs :.1 Eric. g

RICHARD LESTER WILCOX AND GEORGE F. BYAM, 0F VATERIBURY, CONNECTICUT,.ASSIGNORS T0 THE WTERBURY FARREL FCUNDRY AND MACHINE COMPANY, OFWATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATICN 0F CCNNECTICU'I.

BIFURCATING-MACI'IINE.

Application led February 19, 1914.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, RICHARD LEsTEu lVrLCoXand GEORGE F. BYAM, citizens of the United States, residing atlVateibury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have'invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bifurcating-llachines,of which ther following is a specilication, reference being had thereinto the accompanying drawings.

rThis invention relates to a new and improved bifurcating machine ofthat type wherein blanks are successively and automatically delivered toholding devices and there held while a slot is cut in the end thereof.

In designing this machine it has been our object; among other things, tocut the slot with a reciprocating as distinguished from a rotary cutter;to provide blank holding means that will have successive, independentmovements to facilitate the holding and gripping of the blank; to soarrange the gripping dies that they may have a relative adjustment withthe line of movement of the cutter to insure the cutting of the slot inthe proper position in the blank; to so mount the gripping dies andtheir operative mechanism that they will be rigid and unyielding duringthe cutting operation; to

'operate the cutter at differential speeds, at

different points of its movement, from a source of power located uponthe vopposite side of the blank from the cutter at the beginning of thecutting operation; to provide means for adjustments, whereby slots ofvarying depths, as well as blanks of varying lengths, may be operatedupon; and in these, and other ways, to so improve the mechanism ofmachines of this character, that they may be simple in design`economically constructed, readily assembled, and operate with suchefficiency as'to produce work superior to any heretofore made, and at amaximum speed without impairment of the operative parts of the machineitself.

To these,.and other ends, our invention consists in the bifurcatingmachine, having such details of construction and combinations of partsas will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out inthe claims. l Referring to the drawings, in which like numerals ofreference designate like parts in Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 27, 1915.

serial No. 819,736. y

the several figures; Figure 1 is a side view of our improved machine;Fig. 2 is a view of the slide and slide bracket with some of themechanism adjacent thereto; Fig. 3 is a view of the cutter or broach;Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the machine; Fig. 5 is av sectionalview of the gripping die and slidek taken upon line fir-eB of Fig. 4;Fig. G is an end view of the machine partly in section; Fig. 7 is anenlarged detail view of the guide lingers, one of the gripping dies andsome of the mechanism adjacent thereto; Fig. S is a detail'view of thegripping dies, shown in their relative positions when wide open; Fig. 9is a view of the same parts in an intermediate rest position; Fig. 10 isa sectional view of the cutter or broach taken upon line C-D of Fig. 8,with a bifurcated blank shown by broken lines in connection therewith;and Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the stripper plate.

In the embodiment of our invention in the form illustrated in thedrawings, the numeral. 1 designates the bed ofthe machine; having areceiving pan 2 at one end, and within which a gate 4 is slidablebeneath the caps 5 and rotatably mounted therein are the shafts 2 and 3.Fixed upon the shaft 3 is a cone driving pulley @and pinions 7, theteeth of which mesh into the teeth of the gears S and 9 upon the shafts9.. Reciprocatory motion is transmitted to the gate 4 through the gears8 and 9 and the pitman 10 which is pivotally connected to the pin 11 insaid gate and to the pin 12 fixed in and joining the gears 8 and 9.

Adjustable vertically upon the bed 1 by the screw 15 that abuts againsta hardened block 1G, is a bracket 13, which is secured in itsintermediate positions .by the bolts 14. Movably mounted upon thebracket 13 is a slide 17, that is connected with the gate 4 b v a screw18 threaded at one end in said slide and passing through an opening 19in the gate, with a nut 2O upon its opposite end. The relative verticalposition of the slide 17 and the gate 4 is varied by manipulation of thenut 20, and the raising and lowering of the slide bracket 13, duringwhich time the screw 18 moves freely through` the opening 19. By reasonof this connection the slide 17 may reciprocate in various*horizontalplanes while the gate 4 always moves in the same horizontal plane.;

The cutter or broach 21 is constructed with a straight base portion 22,having a flat lower edge, and projecting upwardly from the top thereofis a fin 23 (Fig. l0) that is narrower than the said base, and having aninclined upper edge provided with a plurality of teeth. The width andshape of the lin in cross section is the same as the slot to be cut inthe blank. This cutter is secured inthe slide 17 with the bottom edge ofthe base resting upon the top of the slide, and the back end thereofagainst a shoulder 24, being held against lateral movement by a cap 25.

The mechanism for holding and gripping the blanks comprises the slides26, dies 27, die holders 2S, within which the dies are secured by thescrews 29, bolts 30, which pass through elongated holes 31 in the dieholders 28, and are threaded into the slides 26, adjusting screws 32threaded into the slides 26 and bearing at their outer ends against thedie holders 28, the cam slides 33 having cam grooves 3ltherein andmovably mounted in the slots 35 in the slides 26, cam rolls 36 Withinthe cam slots 34 and rotatably secured to the slides 26 by the pins 37,cams 38 fixed on the shafts 2, connecting rods 39, cam rolls 40 fixed tosaid connecting rods and projecting into the cam grooves in the cams 3S,a block L.t1 pivotally secured to each of the slides 33, a rod 42connecting each of said blocks with said connecting rods, check nuts 43threaded on said rods, and springs 44 between said check nuts and blocksl-l.

During the rotation of the shafts 2 a reciprocatory movement is giventhe cam slides 33 through the rods 39 and 42, which is transmitted intoa reciprocatory movement in the slides 26 through the engagement of thecam rolls 36 with the cam grooves 3st in the said slides 33, thismovement causing the gripping dies 27 to move toward and away from eachother. VThe timing of the cams and the shape of the cam groove 34E issuch that the dies 27 move toward each other in a straight line untilthe dies occupy substantially the relative position shown in Fig. 9,when there is a limited dwell, after which the dies are again moved inthe same direction until their faces abut against each other, as shownin Figs` 4 and 6 of the drawings, at which time the rolls 36 are in aportion of the cam groove 34 that is parallel with the direction ofmovement of the cam slides. By this latter feature the dies are heldrigid by unyielding parts during the cutting operation, and thisprovides against any possibility of the dies releasing their grip uponthe blank, which might occur if said rolls were in contact with abeveled face in said cam groove. ln relation to a predetermined line theposition of the dies may be varied by manipulation of the adjustingscrews 32 and bolts 30,

this adjustment always insuring the blank being held in its properrelative position with the cutter 21.

Secured to an upright fk5 upon the bed 1,

by one or more bolts 4:6, is a backing block eration oif the slidemechanism and prevents a chattering cut upon the blank. Tf any portionof the blank holding mechanism should become clogged or displaced thesprings 4A- will yield and prevent any unnecessary damage or breakage ofthe parts.

Any type of mechanism may be used to convey blanks to the gripping dies,and we have illustrated a form herein, which, except in a limited numberof features, constitutes no part of this invention, being now more orless in general use and well known. lt will therefore only be brieflydescribed. This mechanism consists essentially of a hopper lL8 securedto a standard l-9 that is i'ixed to the upright 45 and into which blanksare indiscriminately thrown. Rotatably mounted adjacent to the hopper isa selector 50, which delivers the blanks into the chute 5l, all arrangedin proper order, with the heads in the same direction. This chuteconveys the blank to the carrying mechanism, which comprises the headmembers 52, having an opening 53 therebetween and an inwardlyconverging, tapered lower end 54., a slide 55 that is movable in a partattached to the standard #19, and to which the head members 52 areconnected by means of the spring fingers 56. This slide is movedupwardly by a spring 57, in which position the top of the head members52 are opposite the lower end of the blank, as illustrated by theposition of the blank shown by broken lines in Fig. 7, a position thatis determined by the Contact of the stud 5S in said slide with the edgeof the opening 59 through the cap 60. The downward position of the slide55 is variable, being limited by the screw 6l that is in the path ofmovement of the stud 58.

Reciproeably mounted within a part connected with the standard 49, andparallel with the slide 55, is the plunger 62, the axis of which iscoincident with that of the head members 52,4 and having a` pressurepunch 63 fixed in the lower end thereof. Motion is imparted to thisplunger 62 from a cam groove 6l in the gear 9 through the rock arm 65pivotally secured to the bed, and having a roll 66 thereon that lieswithin said cam groove, a rod 67 having connection at one end with ablock 68 pivotally secured to the rock arm 65 upon the stud 69, jam nuts7() threaded upon the end of said rod 67, a collar 7l adjustably securedupon said rod., a coil spring 72 between said collar and the block 68, arock lever 73 pivotallysecured to a lug 74, upon the bed 1 bythe pintle75,

' a lever' 7 6 having connection with the rock lever 73 at one endthrough the link 77, and having a yoke end 78, to which is secured theguide blocks 79 that lie within a grooved collar 80 threadably securedupon the plunger 62 and locked against movement in any of its adjustedpositions by the collar S1. The endwise movement of the rod 67 causesthe lever 73 to rock upon its pivot mounting and through the link 77imparts a similar rocking movement to the rock lever 76, and a vertical,reciprocatory movement to the plunger 62. The extreme positions of therock lever 73 and link 77 are shown by full and broken lines in Fig. 1,the former being the position when the plunger is in its down positionand limited by the stop screw yS2. threaded through the lug 7i and inthe path of movement of therock lever 73. in this position the pivotalconnection between the rock lever 73 and the link 77 is just beyond thedead center, which will prevent any premature upward movement of theplunger G2.

T he blanks as they pass out of the chute lie with their aXessubstantially parallel with that of the head members 52 and pressurepunch 63, and are moved from said chute into said head members by aslide 83 that is reciprocated through a rock lever 84. This mechanismconstitutes no part of our present invention. The slide 83 delivers theblanks in the position above the head members 52 substantially as shownby broken lines in F ig. 7, which then drop into the opening 53, that isslightly larger than the outside diameter of the head, and the shanks'project through and below the head members 52 with the head restingupon the inclined face upon the inside of the end 54. J ust as the blankdrops into this position the dies 27 are moved so that they occupy theposition substantially shown in Fig. 9, in which position the blanks canbe moved vertically between the dies but not laterally, the dies havingno gripping action thereon. The pressure punch 63 now moves downwardlyand engages the `head of the blank and forces it through the headmembers 52, which spring outwardly to permit such action and completesits movement when the underside of the head rests against the topsurface of the gripping dies, and is there held against upward movement.rIhe gripping dies now move toward each other to their closed position,at which time they grip the blank ti ghtly therebetween and hold. thesame against movement in any direction. 4lf a blank should enter thehead members 52 in any other position than the proper one, the spring 72upon the rod 67 will yield and prevent breakage of the parts. The timingof. the parts is such, that as soon as the blank is grippedbetween thedes'the slide 17 bed gins to move toward the blank and the broach 21cuts the slot in the lowerr end thereof, the full depth of the slotbeing determined by the angle of inclination of the upper cutting faceof the fin 28 upon the broach, as well as the relative position of theslide 17 with the blank, w lich, it will be remembered is adjustablevertically. After the broach has passed entirely through the blank, theplunger' 62 moves upwardly releasing the pressure upon the head of theblank, the gripping dies move outwardly to release the blank and thesame drops by gravity into a pocket 85 in the end of the slide and liestherein until. the reverse movement of the slide causes it to be j oltedtherefrom into the pan arranged to receive it.l or onto an inclinedplate 90, which intercepts the fall of the blank and guides it into saidpan, if perchance it is not ejected therefrom until the completion ofits( outward stroke. rhe teeth of the breach are kept free from chipsthrough wire brushes 86, which are secured to the bed by the caps S7,the inner ends of which brushes. are in the path of movement of the saidbroach, as will be apparent from F ig. 2 of the drawings.r

lt will be observed that theaxis of the shafts 2, from which shaft theslide 17 is `reciprocatcd, is yin a higher horizontal plane than thepivotal connection between the gate al. and the pitman 10, and that thecutting stroke begins when the pin 12 is in its eX- treme forwardposition, hence the cutting portion of the stroke of the slide 17 isvery much slower than the return movement thereof, which takes placewhile the `pin is traveling from its extreme rear position to near itsextreme :forward position, said forward position being shown in vFigs. 1and 4.

To insure the clearance of the dies, we have provided a stripper plate88' that is secured to the block i7, and having lingers 89 thereon thatoverlie the gripping dies and strip the blanks therefrom during theoutward movement thereof, if perchance it does not drop by gravity.

Many minor changes and alterations may be made within our invention,aside from those herein suggested, and we would therefore have itunderstood that we do not limit ourselves to the exact constructionherein shown and described, but claim all that falls fairly within thespirit and scope of our invention as set forth in the appended claims.

4Having described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination withreciprocating gripping dies; of a reciprocating broach for cutting aslot in the blankwhile in said gripping dies; means for actuating saiddies, whereby they move into a holding` position and then a grippingposition; means'l for delivering blanks to said dies; a plunger movabletoward and away from said gripping dies in a path at substantially aright angle there' to; means for actuating said plunger by togglemechanism so arranged that when said pressure plunger is in contact withthe head of said blank while in said gripping dies and said broach is incontact with said blank, the pivotal connections in said togglemechanism will be on substantially a dead center.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination with blankholding means; of a broach; a bracket; means for adjusting the relativeposition of said bracket upon a iixed part of the machine toward andaway from said blank holding means; a member for vcarrying said broachmounted in said bracket; means for imparting a reciprocatory movement tosaid member within said bracket; and means for securing said bracket inany of its adjusted positions.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination with blankholding means; of a broach; means for imparting a reciprocatory motionto said broach, said means comprising a rotary member; a reciprocatorymember constantly movable in the same plane; a second reciprocatorymember; an operative connection therebetween; a bracket mounted upon afixed part; means for moving said second reciprocatory member withinsaid bracket so that it may operate in various planes; and means forsecuring said broach to the second reciprocatory member.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination with blankholding means comprising members that hold the blank therebetween; of abroach; a member for carrying said broach; a bracket within which saidmember is operatively mounted; means .for moving saidbracket toward andaway from said blank holding means and securing the same to a fixedpart; a rotary member; a gate; an operative connection between saidbroach carrying member and said gate, said connection permitting saidbroach carrying` member to move in various planes within said bracketwhile the said gate operates in the same plane.

5. In a. machine of the character described, the combination with blankholding means; of a broach; a member for carrying said broach; and meansJior imparting areciprocatory movement to said member from a rotarymember and causing said broach to engage and pass through said blankwhen the same is in said holding means, said rotary member having itsaxis in a different plane than said broach carrying member whereby saidbroach is caused to move at lessspeed while in engagement with saidblank than when moving in the opposite direction.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a blanksupporting mechanism; of gripping dies; means for deliveringrblankstheretofrom said blank supporting mechanism; an independently actuatedslide for each of said dies; and means for operatively connecting saiddies and slide whereby the movement of each of said slides willsynchronously move the dies toward each other and dwell without grippingthe blank and subsequently again move them toward each other and gripthe blank.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination with aplurality ot' gripping dies; of a slide Jfor each of said dies; a dieholder for each of said dies, means for securing said die holders tosaid slides; means for adjusting the position of the die holders uponthe slide; means for securing said die holders in any of their adjustedpositions; a cam slide for each of said slides having an operativeconnection therewith; and means for separately operating each oi saidcam slides whereby said dies will have successive independent movementstoward each other and in the last of such movements said slides willoccupy such relation to the cam slide as will prevent the accidental orpremature movement of the gripping dies.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination withgripping dies; means for actuating the same, whereby said dies move intoa holding position and then into a gripping position; means fordelivering blanks to said dies; a broach for cutting a slot in the blankwhile in said gripping dies; a plunger movable in a path atsubstantially a right angle to the movement of the gripping dies towardand away from said gripping dies; means for actuating said plunger bytoggle mechanism, so arranged that when said plunger is in the positionnearest to said gripping dies the pivotal connections of said togglemechanism will be on substantially a dead center.

9. In a machine of the character described, the combination with blankholding means; of a broach; a bracket; means for adjusting the relativeposition o t' said bracket upon a fixed part toward and away from saidblank holding means; a member for carrying said broach mounted in saidbracket; and means for imparting a reciprocatory movement to said memberwithin said bracket.

l0. In a machine of the character described, the combination with blankholding means; of a broach; a member for carrying said broach movable ina path at substantially right angle to said blank holding means; meansfor securing said broach therein; means for adjusting the relativeposition of said member toward and away from said blank holding means; arotary i ab member; a gate; a Connection between said rotary member andgate whereby a reciprocatory movement is imparted to the latter; and anadjustable connection between said gate and said broach carrying memberthrough which the motion of said gate is transmitted to said carryingmember.

In testimony whereof we aiiix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

RICHARD LESTER WILCOX. GEORGE F. BYAM. Vitnesses:

CLIFFORD PETITJEAN, HOWARD CoLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C.

